[PREHEADER: One-line summary of this issue, e.g. "This month: Hasler results, Tiddenfoot socials, and October training dates"]
Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club logo Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club
A family-friendly canoe club for all ages and abilities
SEPTEMBER 2026
 

Hi everyone,

This is our first newsletter, designed to bring lots of information together into one place — many of you will already know some of this, but not everyone will! Please share any suggestions for future editions with Charlotte Anderson.

What's in this email

  • Chelmer Hasler 2026 results
  • Winter Series race dates & Cambridge sign-up
  • Remembrance Day Race — Sunday 8th November
  • Winter Is Coming — paddling clothing tips
  • …and finally

Chelmer Hasler 2026

LBCC made a great start to the 2026/2027 Hasler series at Chelmsford this month. A big shout out to Alex, Andrew Griffith and Charlotte Anderson on their promotions.

The full results can be found here: Canoe Marathon – Chelmer Hasler 2026

# Club Points Competition points
1 Chelmsford CC 599 10
2 Norwich CC 594 9
3 Leighton Buzzard CC 586 8
4 Bishops Stortford CC 582 7
5 Barking & Dagenham CC 149 6
6 Cambridge CC 88 5
7 Viking KC 45 4

So, how do the Haslers work? Well, for all of the paddlers that enter the races, the top 12 scoring paddlers' points are added together (where you get 50 points for coming first, 49 for second, etc.) and the club with the highest points from that race wins, receiving 10 competition points. The club points are added up across the series of races within our region and, at the end of the season, the top 3 scoring clubs are invited to attend the 'Hasler finals' which is a national event.

Winter Series

This is a series of races that takes place over the winter (does exactly what it says on the tin). There are six races in the series, including one we will host in the New Year. If you compete in a number of these then there's a series trophy at the end of the race series. The races are largely raced by age-group, with a shorter distance option for those in divisions 8/9.

All the details are here: Winter Series Canoe Marathons – Flatwater Racing.

The race dates are here:

Race Venue Date
Race 1 Cambridge 4 October 2026
Race 2 Bishops Stortford 1 November 2026
Race 3 Maidstone 22 November 2026
Race 4 Barking 6 December 2026
Race 5 Chelmsford ?? January 2027 (tbc)
Race 6 Leighton Buzzard 24 January 2027 (reserve date ???)

The first date in the series is in Cambridge and only a few weeks away. To race, please sign up here by Wednesday 30 September: Sign-up sheet

Remembrance Day Race — Sunday 8th November 2026

Your Club Needs You poster

SAVE THE DATE

This is the next event hosted by LBCC. Everyone can help, whether it's racing or supporting…we need you!

This is a charity event. Profits go to the Royal British Legion.

Start location: Great Linford Memorial Hall, Marsh Drive, Great Linford, Milton Keynes MK14 5AX. Car parking, toilets & refreshments will be available.

Finish location: Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club, at the rear of Cedars School / Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre, Mentmore Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2AE. Car parking, toilets & refreshments will be available.

Classes — this event is open to kayaks, canoes and SUPs:

  • Class A – Marathon Divisions 1, 2 & 3 (K1/K2)
  • Class B – Marathon Divisions 4, 5 & 6 (K1/K2)
  • Class C – Marathon Divisions 7, 8 & 9 (K1/K2)
  • Class D – Canoes and other single bladed paddle craft (C1/C2)
  • Relay – Teams of two crafts (K1s or K2s)

Note: Where paddlers in a K2 are not in the same division, the class will be that of the average ranking. Pairings can be male, female or mixed.

Course: 15 miles with 4 portages. It's a paddle-back course, starting at Great Linford Wharf, Milton Keynes, MK14 5AX, Bridge Number 77. Paddlers head south and finish at the Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club landing stage. For relay teams: leg 1 is 6.5 miles with no portages, and leg 2 is 8.5 miles with 3 portages.

? Winter Is Coming

As we go into the colder time of year, you'll also need to be prepared! Different things work for different people…here are some top tips for winter paddling clothing:

  1. Layers. Let's talk about layers. Winter temperatures vary in the UK, so layers are a brilliant way to stay ahead of the forecast! Thermal base layers are a game changer, especially when they can be layered so easily!
  2. Pogies are a paddler's favourite as they can keep your hands relatively dry AND keep the wind chill off them, without compromising feel or performance. Some people also opt for neoprene mitts or gloves underneath too.
  3. Cag and spray deck can be great. Cags are a little like waterproof coats, only they usually have waterproof seals on the neck and wrists to prevent water getting in.
  4. Dry clothes for afterwards. No one wants to be driving home in soggy or damp clothes. Take a spare just in case you get splashed, your portages end up being messier than normal or you take an unexpected dip!
  5. A woolly hat could mean the difference between being freezing cold or actually quite comfortable. Your body loses most of its heat through the head.
  6. A warm coat or waterproof changing robe to keep you toasty when you get off the water.

…and finally…

Keep an eye out for the winter training timetable, full details will be published here: Winter training timetable.

Coming up soon

Date TBCHare & Hounds series
Sun 4th OctWinter Series — Cambridge
Sun 1st NovWinter Series — Bishop Stortford
Sun 8th NovRemembrance Race — Great Linford to LBCC
Sun 22nd NovWinter Series — Maidstone
Fri 4th Dec TBCJunior xmas event — TBC
Sun 6th DecWinter Series — Barking
Fri 11th DecXmas Party — Leighton Buzzard Football Club
Sun TBC JanWinter Series — Chelmsford
Sun 24th Jan 2027Winter Series — LBCC

There are many more events organised throughout the UK. Any individual with Paddle UK membership can enter these through the following link: Canoe Marathon.

Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club · Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre, Leighton Buzzard · Est. 1976

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